THE OPENING TIP• The Red Raiders enter Saturday’s game after falling to [22/24] Kansas State, 69-47.• [2/2] Missouri suffered its second loss of the season at OSU in Stillwater, 79-72, on Tuesday.• Today’s game is on the Big 12 Network. Dave Armstrong (Play-by-Play) and Jon Sundvold (Analyst) are on the call.• Texas Tech is looking to snap a seven-game losing streak with a win over Iowa State. The Red Raiders are 0-7 in Big 12 play for the first time since 1999-00.

TEXAS TECH-MISSOURI SERIES• This is the 22nd meeting between the Tigers and the Red Raiders. The two first met on Dec. 5, 1955 in Columbia, Mo. Missouri leads the all-time series 14-7. Texas Tech’s only win in Columbia came in 2005. The Tigers are 8-1 against the Red Raiders in Columbia.• Missouri has topped Texas Tech in each of the last five meetings and six of the last seven.• This will be the last time Texas Tech will play in Columbia against Mizzou as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The Tigers will move to the Southeastern Conference next season.

ABOUT MISSOURI• Missouri is 18-2 on the season and 5-2 in Big 12 play. The Tigers are ranked No. 2 for the first time since the 2001-02 season.• The Tigers are led by Marcus Denmon (17.7 ppg/5.3 rpg), Ricardo Ratliffe (15.1 ppg/7.1 rpg), Kim English (14.1 ppg/4.5 rpg), Michael Dixon (11.8 ppg/2.2 rpg) and Phil Pressey (10.1 ppg/5.8 apg).• Today’s game feature’s the Big 12 Conference’s top two shooters – Mizzou’s Ratliffe (75.4 percent) and Texas Tech’s Jordan Tolbert (56.6 percent).

TOLBERT LEADS BIG 12 FRESHMENJordan Tolbert leads all Big 12 freshmen this season in rebounds (6.4 rpg) and field goal percentage (56.6 pct). He is second among league freshmen in scoring at 12.8 points per game. Overall, Tolbert ranks 16th in the league in scoring and eighth in rebounding. He has scored in double figures 10 times this season, including a season-high 27 twice — once at TCU on Dec. 6 and once against CSU-Bakersfield on Dec. 27. It was the most by a Tech freshman since John Roberson went for 28 against Northwestern State on Dec. 29, 2007. It is the second highest scoring mark by a Red Raider freshman in the Big 12 Era. He also netted 20 points against Indiana State at the Old Spice Classic, 22 against Grambling State and 21 against Oral Roberts. Tolbert has pulled down five rebounds in 14 of 19 games this season and had a his first double-double at Oklahoma State with 13 points and 13 rebounds. He added 10 rebounds at Oklahoma. He has recorded five 20-point games as a freshman, which has only been recorded one other time in the last 20 years at Texas Tech by a freshman. He also did it four times in a row, which was last done by Jarrius Jackson in November, 2006. He was named the Big 12 Conference player of the Week for the Week of Dec. 26-Jan. 1, after averaging 19.0 points and 4.0 rebounds, while shooting 78.9 percent from the field. Last time out against Kansas State, Tolbert had 18 points and eight rebounds.

WAGNER MAKES IMPACTLubbock native Kevin Wagner had a breakout performance on Wednesday against Kansas State. The 5-8 freshman, starting in just his four collegiate game, notched a career-best 16 points, four assists, two steals and two rebounds in 37 minutes of play. Entering the game, Wagner had scored just 22 points for the season.

CROCKETT STEPS UP IN LEAGUE PLAYTexas Tech’s Jaye Crockett has elevated his play since Big 12 Conference play began on Jan. 4. In the seven league games this season, Crockett has scored in double figures four times and notched nine points in two other outing. He notched his second career double-double at Oklahoma and had a career-best 19-point effort at Texas A&M. His 19 points eclipses his previous best effort of 14 points against North Texas on Nov. 16, 2010. Crockett now has 11 career double-digit scoring efforts, with seven coming this season. He is averaging 7.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game this season and 10.4 points and 5.4 rebounds in Big 12 games.

LEWANDOWSKI PULLS DOWN 400THSenior Robert Lewandowski has been a steady stalwart for the Red Raiders for the last four years. Against Oklahoma, in his 112th career game and his 65th career start, Lewandowski recorded his 400th rebound. He also notched his 86 career block, which ranks eighth all-time at Texas Tech. Over the last two games, he has recorded nine rebounds and seven blocks and now has 409 rebounds and 93 career blocks. This season, Lewandowski is averaging 7.2 points and 4.1 rebounds a game. He has scored eight or more points in nine of the team’s 19 games this season. Lewandowski also recorded his first career 3-pointer in just his third career attempt against Southeastern Louisiana. The 6-10 Lewandowski has played in 114 career games. It was 61 games between his first 3-point attempt against UTEP on Jan. 3, 2010 and his first career make against Southeastern Louisiana.

LEWANDOWSKI HAS CAREER GAMERobert Lewandowski had a career performance against Iowa State. The 6-10 senior from Overland Park, Kan. went 8-17 from the field and 4-5 from the line to tie his career high with 20 points. He had previously had netted 20 points against Texas A&M as a freshman (01/28/09) and against Stephen F. Austin as a sophomore (11/19/10). Lewandowski played all 40 minutes against Iowa State and added six rebounds, four assists (tying a career high) and four blocks. He had four blocks in a game for the first time since Jan. 20, 2009, when he notched four blocks against Colorado.

WILLIS’ STREAK CONTINUESJavarez “Bean” Willis is one of three returning players from last year’s squad who has started 17 of 18 games this season. He is currently on a streak of 27 consecutive free throws, including 8-of-8 against Southeastern Louisiana, and has converted 34 of 39 from the charity strip this season. His 87.2 percent from the line is second the squad to teammate Ty Nurse. Willis is second in scoring (8.5), leads in assists (36) and 3-pointers made (25). He has recorded nine or more points 11 times this season and had a season high 16 against Cal State-Bakersfield thanks in large part to a season-high four 3-pointers. He tied that mark at Oklahoma after connecting on another four treys. Willis followed up that outing with a team-best 15 points against Southeastern Louisiana and another 11 against Oklahoma State. He has also dished out at least two assists in 10 of 19 games this season, while distributing four assists or more four times.

NURSE ONE OF NATION’S BEST FROM LINETy Nurse has the ability to be an offensive threat each time he steps on the floor. He has led the team is scoring three times this season and scored in double figures on seven occasions. Nurse had a remarkable debut, chipping in 29 points. He has scored in 14 of 18 games this season. Nurse is third on the team in scoring at 8.2 points per game, while chipping in 1.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists. He is an 91.8 percent foul shooter, connecting on 45 of 49 from the charity strip this season. He has converted 23 straight free throws for the Red Raiders. He currently ranks first in the Big 12 and fourth nationally in free throw shooting.

3-POINT STREAK EXTENDS TO 34 STRAIGHTTexas Tech extended its streak of consecutive games with a 3-pointer to 34 straight games against Kansas State after connecting on 3-of-13 against the Wildcats. The last time The Red Raiders did not connect from the 3-point line was against Texas (0-11) on Jan. 11, 2011.

STRUGGLING FROM THE FIELDAfter ranking as high as eighth in the nation in field goal percentage, the Red Raiders have been mired in a shooting slump. Texas Tech has failed to shoot 40 percent in each of the last seven games – 39.6% (at OSU), 39.6% (Baylor), 31.4% (Kansas), 33.3% (at Texas A&M), 32.6% (at Oklahoma), 35.1% (Iowa State) and 37.5% (Kansas State). The slump has dropped the Red Raiders to 125th in the nation in field goal percentage (44.7 percent)., but did you know that Texas Tech ranks 342nd in shot attempts (47.7 attempts per game)? The Red Raiders are making on average 21.3 field goals per game, which ranks 317th out of the 344 schools in the NCAA Division I. The Red Raiders rank fifth in the Big 12 Conference in field goal percentage, 10th in shot attempts and shots made.

SHOOTING FOR AVERAGETexas Tech is fifth in the Big 12 Conference in field goal percentage through 19 games, as the Red Raiders have hit on 44.7 percent of its shots from the field. The Red Raiders are 125th nationally in field goal percentage this season. Tech has hit 60 percent or better in a game three times this season — Troy (61.1 percent), Stephen F. Austin (62.9 percent) and CSU-Bakersfield (60.0 percent). When Texas Tech shot 61.1 percent from the field (33 of 54) against Troy in the opener, it eclipsed the highest percentage of any game last season. The highest percentage last season was 58.8 percent (30-of-51) against Delaware State on Jan. 4. Two games later against Stephen F. Austin, the Red Raiders connected on their first six shots of the game to take a 15-5 lead. Texas Tech connected on 14 of 17 shots from the field in the first half (82.4 percent) and hit four of five 3-pointers (80 percent). The Red Raiders finished the game hitting 62.9 percent from the field. It is the best shooting performance by Tech in the last three years, eclipsing the 62.1 percent the Red Raiders shot against Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 22, 2008. The Red Raiders added their third 60 percent shooting performance against Cal State-Bakersfield, as Texas Tech connected on 24 of 40 shots, including 7-of-14 from 3-point range. In all, the Red Raiders have shot better than 50 percent in five of 19 games this season. Only six teams in the nation shoot 50 percent or better from the field.

LUKE STEPS UP IN A BIG WAYWalk-on Luke Adams stepped onto the court against Grambling State not only playing in his second career game, but making his first career start. The freshman from Big Spring, Texas, who is legally deaf, connected on his first four shots of the game (all 3s) to spark a 27-2 Texas Tech run against the Tigers. He earned his second career start at Oral Roberts, chipping in with four points and four assists. In eight games, the 5-9 walk-on has averaged 3.5 points, 0.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 117 total minutes of play.

PLAYING 11 AGAINST KANSAS STATEFor the fourth time this season, the Red Raiders saw 11 players enter the lineup. On four occasions, nine players saw action in a game and 11 times 10 players played.

FROM THE LINETexas Tech shot 92 percent from the free throw line (23 of 25) against North Texas. It is the highest output since connecting on 23 of 24 last season against TCU (95.8 percent). The Red Raiders connected on nine consecutive free throws over the final 3:04 to secure the victory. Against K-State, Tech had its worst free throw shooting performance of the season, hitting just 14 of 26 from the line (53.1 percent). For the season, Texas Tech is 292 of 413 from the line (70.7 percent). Texas Tech shot a season-low eight free throws, connecting on seven against Iowa State. It is the fewest number of free throws shot in a game by the Red Raiders since Jan. 21, 2009, when Texas Tech went 6-of-8 from the line.

UP AND DOWN FROM THREETexas Tech has been up and down all season when it comes to 3-point shooting. Only twice this season have the Red Raiders put together back-to-back games of 35 percent or better from 3-point range. Here is a look at how the Red Raiders have fared this season — 43% (Troy), 18.2% (North Texas), 54.5% (Stephen F. Austin), 22.2% (Indiana State), 50% (DePaul), 30% (Wake Forest), 44.4% (Texas A&M-CC), 25% (TCU), 42.1% (Grambling State), 14.3% (Oral Roberts), 50% (Bakersfield), 40% (SE Louisiana), 31.3% (OSU), 37.5% (Baylor), 9.1% (Kansas), 36.4% (Texas A&M), 50% (Oklahoma), 27.8% (Iowa State) and 23.1% (Kansas State). For the season, the Red Raiders are 85 of 236 from beyond the arc (36.0 percent). Ty Nurse leads the way, hitting on 24 of 65 attempts (36.9 percent) from 3-point range.

REBOUNDING ON THE ROADTexas Tech has out-rebounding its three Big 12 opponents on the road this season – Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Oklahoma. In Stillwater, the Red Raiders out-boarded the Cowboys, 38-27 (+11). In College Station, Texas Tech pulled down 36 rebounds to Texas A&M’s 28 (+8). In Norman, Tech edged OU, 37-34 (+3).

FROM THE FIELDTexas Tech has out-shot its opponent from the field in 12 of 19 games this season. In the last outing, Texas Tech was a mere 32.6 percent from the field (15-46), giving way to Oklahoma’s 38.9 percent (21-54). The Red Raiders have been out-shot by DePaul (42.3/46.6), Baylor (39.6/48.9), Kansas (31.4/50.9), Texas A&M (33.3/47.8), Oklahoma (32.6/38.9), Iowa State (35.1/48.4) and Kansas State (37.5/48.1).

MEMORABLE DEBUTTy Nurse’s 29 points against Troy is the most by a Red Raider since Mike Singletary had 33 against Iowa State on Jan. 26 last season. It is also the most points in a season opener by a Texas Tech player since Curtis Marshall had 30 against UNC-Ashville in 2004 and Andy Ellis had 30 against Indiana in 1999. It is also the most points in a newcomer debut in the Red Raider Big 12 Era.

A TRIPLE NOTEThere have been nine triple-doubles performed this year in the NCAA by Keegan Bell (Chattanooga), Jesse Sanders (Liberty), T.J. McConnell (Duquesne), Jake Odum (Indiana State), D.J. Cooper (Ohio), Kenny Gabriel (Auburn), Shabazz Napier (Connecticut), Royce White (Iowa State) and Peter ‘PJ’ Roberson (Grambling State). Did you know that Texas Tech is the only school to face three of these athletes – Odum, White and Roberson. Odum had 13 points, one rebound and four assists against the Red Raiders. White recorded seven points, nine rebounds and six assists against Texas Tech. Roberson had 14 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks against the Red Raiders.

HITTING FOR 20Since Texas Tech joined the Big 12 Conference at the beginning of the 1996-97 season, there have been 39 Red Raider players scored 20 points in a game at least once. In that group, 25 have performed the feat twice. The school’s all-time leading scorer, Andre Emmett did it 55 times. In all, five of the school’s top seven scorers have played in what we call the Big 12 Era. Here is a complete list of the 39 Red Raiders, who have compiled 372 20-point games at Texas Tech. Red Raider freshman Jordan Tolbert is the newest member with five 20-point games this season. He had 20 against Indiana State, added 27 against TCU, netted 22 against Grambling State, added 21 against Oral Roberts and 27 against CSU-Bakersfield. His 27 at TCU are the most by a Red Raider freshman on the road in the Big 12 Era, but John Roberson holds the freshman record with 28 against Northwestern State in 2007. Tolbert is one of 10 freshman to record a 20-point game at Texas Tech, but joins just Roberson (7) as Red Raiders who have done it at least five times. Red Raider Ty Nurse also joined the list this year, when he went for 29 points against Troy in the season opener. Robert Lewandowski recorded his third career 20-point game against Iowa State.